Jag - Day 2

Jag spent a cozy night in her heated carrier. This morning she was very good about eating the tablespoon of food with her antibiotic, but less than interested in the rest of her food.  She purrs up a storm everytime I touch her and I planted another bunch of kisses on top of her sweet head.

When I look back to 12 years ago when I first met Jag she was not friendly.  She hissed at me daily and kept her distance.  This went on for a couple of years then slowly she changed into a sweet kitty who loved to be groomed.  I'm not sure when it happened but I'm glad it did.  

It may be New Years Day but there is no sleeping in, the rest of the kitties in the colony needed their brekky.  The Logan Gang is no longer a Gang but one lone black kitty named Jazz.  I seldom see him but the food gets eaten so I hope he is the one eating.  I did see him two days ago coming from the sleeping shelters and he looks good.

The East Side Gang consists of three kitties, until Jag is well enough to return.  Spirit is always on the lookout for breakfast.  I meet him on the path, then he turns around meowing all the way back to the shelters.  Doodle and Ollie pop out of their shelters as soon as they hear my voice calling them.

Here they are having New Years Day breakfast

Spirit

 

Ollie

 

Doodle

 

Miss Jag

Wow it has been quite a long time since my last post!  There really hasn't been a lot to say.  My feral kitties have been doing well - until recently.

Doodle and Jag

Jag was at the vet this morning.  She is a beautiful, approximately 13 year old kitty I have been caring for since 2002.  She is quite tame so capturing her this morning was super easy.  I put food in a carrier and in she went within a few minutes.

Jag had some kind of "thing" on the left side of her face just below her ear.  I tried getting pictures so I could get a good look but she wasn't very cooperative.  Looking back at the fuzzy pictures I wonder if this "thing" was a tick.  The cats have had these ugly things before.  The spot on her face changed into more of an ugly sore and again getting decent pictures proved challenging.

I feed twice daily now that winter is here.  In the morning I leave food for the kitties.  When I return just as the sun is setting I remove all the dishes and give the kitties fresh food to get them through the night.  Full tummies help to keep them warm.  Jag was not showing up for a lot of the feedings and I assumed that she was coming out after I left in the mornings.  I could go days without seeing her.  

A couple weeks ago her sore appeared to be healing.  I gave her antibiotics when she showed up, but they only work when I can give them daily.  She was still only showing up every 3 or 4 days.  

Since my return after Christmas she was coming out every feeding and her sore wasn't looking bad but around  her left eye was looking swollen.  Her balance was not good either.  She was stumbling or falling over if she jumped to an uneven surface.  I started her on antibiotics and was pleased she was getting them at both the a.m. and p.m. feeding.

Yesterday she came out with a new sore close to the original site.  Arghhhhhhhh......Jaggy, Jaggy, Jaggy.  

When I returned for the p.m. feeding last night I had a cat carrier.  I set it up in the spot Jag usually eats.  Ollie saw the carrier and took off back into the sleeping shelter.  Jag didn't come out for dinner last night.  I waited and waited.  I left the carrier there overnight with the door locked to keep other critters from investigating.

Jag and Ollie

This morning I knew Jag would be hungry.  She went in the carrier in no time.  Off to the vet we went.

Jag is now in my garage in my giant dog crate.  She has a special pet heating pad in the carrier for some warmth, a litter box and food and water.  She was eating when I left her.  

Next week we will return to the vet to see if she is recovering well.  The vet said she either has an infection behind her eye or there is a mass.  If it's an infection then I think we can deal with this with antibiotics.  If it's a mass I will have to help this beautiful little cat over the rainbow bridge.  I'm pulling for an infection and one that will respond well to the antibiotics.

Jag now recovering

Piccolo

Trapped, at last

Finally after numerous attempts I was able to trap Piccolo and get him in to be neutered.  I have tried and tried and then last Tuesday evening he was in the trap within 10 minutes of setting everything up.  What a relief.

In the carrier, in a dog crate to recover from surgery

Wednesday morning I was up super early to get him in for his surgery and later that afternoon I picked him up to go to Joanne's for his recovery.  Piccolo spent a three nights in recovery and this morning I picked him to return him to join the East Side Gang.  

Just about to be released